St Mary's Catholic Primary School - Ysgol Gynradd Gatholig y Santes Fair

Cymraeg at St Mary's

St Mary's is an English-medium school but Welsh is used in some way in every lesson of every day. We are proud of our heritage and our locality. 

Your child may tell you that they have been the "Helpwr Heddiw" (Today's Helper). If this is the case, they will have helped the rest of the class ask and answer questions in Welsh and they may have collated lunch orders or led children's Welsh drills each morning. All children are encouraged to use simple Welsh in and out of lessons, all over school. 

As well as learning to speak Welsh, we learn about Welsh history and geography and about our customs too.

Eisteddfodau 2025

 

This year, we are having two separate Eisteddfod competitions. We’ll have our “performance” Eisteddfod on Friday 14th February 2025 and we’ll have our “creative” Eisteddfod on Friday 21st March 2025.

Points will be awarded to the houses of the competitors and the scores will contribute to the houses competition at the end of the school year.

The Performance Eisteddfod – Friday 14th February 2025

For the performance Eisteddfod, we’ll have a poetry recital competition, a music competition and a singing competition. On this day, children should wear full school uniform (or PE kit if they usually have PE on Friday afternoon).

  • Poetry Recital Llefaru

(separate competitions for Y2 and under, Y3/4, Y5/6)

The children have been learning and practising their poems at school. If you would like the words to the poems so that they can practise at home as well, please get in touch with your child’s class teacher.

 

  1. Musical performance Cerddoriaeth Offerynnol

(separate competitions for Y2 and under, Y3/4, Y5/6)

If your child plays a musical instrument at home, or has lessons in school, we would love them to perform in our Eisteddfod. They can play any piece of their choosing. We have a piano in school that they can use. Any other instruments would need to be brought into school. Children will need to let us know what song they wish to play by Monday 10th February.

 

  1. Singing Canu

Children are learning Welsh songs in school and will perform them on the day.

The Creative Eisteddfod – Friday 21st March 2025

For the creative Eisteddfod, we’ll have 8 competitions in 2D art, 3D art, photography and other areas of art and design. Children are invited to enter as many competitions as they like. The more competitions they enter, the more house points their house could win!

The handwriting will be done in school. However, none of the art work will be done at school this year so any entries must be done at home.

On the day, we are inviting children to wear red, white and green clothes or a traditional Welsh costume to truly enter into the spirit of this special day. National Welsh rugby and football shirts are also allowed to be worn.

 

  1. T-shirt Design

(separate competitions for Y2 and under, Y3/4, Y5/6)

Design a T-Shirt to convey any aspect or aspects of the theme “Roots”. If you need a blank t-shirt template, please ask at school.

 

  1. 2D Drawing

(separate competitions for Y2 and under, Y3/4, Y5/6)

Create a 2D picture suitable to hang on a wall on the theme of “Roots”, using one or combination of these media: Pencil, Ink, Crayon, Pastel or Paint to measure no more than 760mm x 560mm.

 

  1. 2D Art

(separate competitions for Y2 and under, Y3/4, Y5/6)

Present any 2D work pasted on a flat background (e.g. card, table, tile, glass, plastic or metal), to create a collage (collage) or mosaic on the theme of “Roots” to measure no more than 760mm x 560mm.

 

  1. 3D Art

(separate competitions for Y2 and under, Y3/4, Y5/6)

This is to be done at home. Present 3D work in any medium or combination of media. Work in this category would be visual from all directions (except the bottom if standing on the ground) and maintain itself on the theme of “Roots”.

 

  1. Puppets

(separate competitions for Y2 and under, Y3/4, Y5/6)

Up to 3 puppets of any kind such as: finger, hand or string. A puppet on a string should be presented in a decorative bespoke frame for hanging/display only. No decorations or accessories to the frame will be judged as part of the work.

 

  1. Upcycling

(separate competitions for Y2 and under, Y3/4, Y5/6)

Upcycle any object using recycled materials that are fit for purpose, on the theme of “Roots”. Photograph(s) of the original object or raw materials must be included as evidence of the action taken.

 

  1. Photography

(separate competitions for Y3/4, Y5/6)

A series of 4 colour photographs on the theme of “Roots”.

Entries will need to be submitted via Class Dojo by Friday 14th March.

 

  1. Jewellery

(separate competitions for Y3/4, Y5/6)

Original jewellery in any medium or combination of media.

Our children always enter really well into the spirit of things at this time of year and we look forward to creating an Eisteddfod celebration that will be cherished and remembered. Thank you for your ongoing support.

Cymraeg Campus

The Cymraeg Campus Language Charter has been created to develop Welsh in English medium schools.

We have a Criw Cymraeg, which is made of children from each class who encourage us to speak Welsh in school. They teach us the Brawddeg yr Wythnos each week so that we can practise using our Welsh.

We have ten targets to achieve to gain the Bronze Cymraeg Campus Award:

  1. A visual Welsh ethos is beginning to be established
  2. A majority of the pupils have an understanding and respect for the culture and language
  3. Pupils are beginning to speak Welsh in a variety of situations within their classrooms
  4. Pupils are beginning to speak Welsh in a variety of situations outside their classrooms
  5. There is a weekly Welsh assembly
  6. Pupils are encouraged to use Apps and websites to learn Welsh
  7. The school organises some enrichment activities to develop pupils use and enjoyment of Welsh
  8. Welsh guided reading groups are held fortnightly
  9. Aspects of one subject is beginning to be taught through the medium of Welsh
  10. A majority of the pupils have a positive attitude towards learning Welsh

 

Some useful Welsh resources online: 

Learn Welsh https://www.learn-welsh.net/ 

Welsh in the early years: https://www.meithrin.cymru/games/ 

From the BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zqsv7p3 

From S4C: https://www.s4c.cymru/en/dysgu-cymraeg/#